Did you know that Texas lawmakers are trying to amend the State Constitution to weaken your right to be presumed innocent when charged with a crime?

We need your help today to stop it. 

Bad bail bills HB 20 & SB 21 cannot be passed without a constitutional amendment because they are so restrictive they’re literally unconstitutional without it.

• HJR 4 allows magistrates to hold thousands of Texans pretrial without any chance to bond out without a hearing
• HJR 4 will trap thousands of Texans — disproportionately Black and Brown people — in jail for years on charges which they may be innocent of or that may ultimately be dismissed
• HJR 4 departs from current practice in that it explicitly states that no evidentiary hearing is required before making these determinations and denying bond entirely

Twttet

Click here to tweet at the Conference Committee: “Don’t let HJR4 out of Conference!”

Call

You can also call the Speaker Pro Tem Moody (512) 463-0728 and say:“I urge you to reject HJR 4 in Conference. The Senate’s regressive amendments will deny Texans’ their fundamental right to the presumption of innocence.” 

These are time-sensitive actions! The legislative session is coming to a close. Don’t delay and take action now! Friday 5/28 is the last day to make a difference!

Explore Texas Jail Project’s archive, Shedding Light, a digital archive documenting the firsthand experiences of people in Texas county jails during the pandemic.

Explore Shedding Light

Thank you for joining us in the fight for pretrial liberty and justice.